Technology is truly a blessing.  We can keep in touch with family that lives in another country, learn from helpful blog posts and videos that teach us something, and stay informed [to an extent, anyway] about world and national events.

However, when we use it too much [even for good things] it becomes a curse.  Our mental health suffers, and we become addicted to our screens.  Anxiety rates are rather high, and our screens do not help us with that challenge.  As someone said, if you do not think you are addicted to your smart phone, try to go a day without it!

Excessive screen times damages your vision (source), hurts language development in children (source), and steals our time.  How often have you picked up your phone just to check the weather and were still on the phone fifteen minutes–or more–later?

The average US adult uses screens for seven hours and three minutes every day; the average teen uses screens for eight hours and thirty minutes a day; and the average tween is on a screen for five hours and thirty-three minutes a day. (source)

While we can use screen time responsibly, think of boundaries for them.  A few of those boundaries can be as follows:

1. No phones at meal times
2. No phone use until after breakfast
3. Put your phone away at least two hours before bed time
4. Have “do not disturb” hours during the day–times that your phone is on “do not disturb” with exceptions of your spouse and a close relative or two
5. Instead of going straight to your phone when you want to know the weather, look up news, or look up a recipe — write down all that you want to look up and have a specific time in the day that you do so [so that you are not using the internet/screens non-stop]

Since we can be addicted to our screens easily, sometimes we need ideas on what to do instead of stare at our screen.

1. Cook food. 

We all need to eat at least once a day.  If you have some time that you are not sure what to do, instead of turning on a screen, prepare your breakfast or lunch for the next day.  You can also prepare the next meal for that day.  If it’s a meal that can be frozen, cook a double batch and freeze some of it to give yourself a quick meal on your day of rest.

You can also read this blog post about the benefits of eating at home.

2.  Take a walk. 

While screen time can make you anxious, taking a walk outside is a natural stress reliever.  Exercise can boost your mood, help you to sleep better at night, and help to clear your mind.

Read more about the benefits of exercise here.

3.  Spend time with a friend in person. 

Instead of video calling a friend, take a walk with that friend.  You can spend time outside together and combine exercise and fellowship time.

4.  Learn a new skill. 

Learn how to cook from scratch, how sew a button on, how to mend a sock, how to arrange flowers, how to plant a container garden, how to bake bread, or something else that interests you.  The possibilities are endless!

5.  Read a book.  

One year when I was recovering from quite a bit of overwork and stress, I read real books, not ebooks, and just by sitting on the couch and reading a book, I felt as though I were on vacation.

While ebooks can be wonderful, take a break from them once in a while and read a real physical book.  You won’t need to worry about distractions from your device on which you would have if you were reading an ebook.

Go here to learn the benefits of reading.

6.  Organize a dresser drawer or a pantry shelf. 

Maybe your house is completely organized!  [If it is, congratulations!  Skip to point #7. 🙂 ] Mine is not, but I am working on it!  Screen times does not give you the sense of accomplishment that an organized area of your home will give you.  Once you organize a dresser drawer, you may want to organize a second one and may completely forget about screens.

Go here to read more benefits of an organized home.

7.  Visit an elderly relative or church member. 

Sometimes when a person is unable to leave the home, they feel as though everyone has forgotten about them.  Cheer that person up by visiting them (calling ahead doesn’t hurt) and bring them some flowers or a healthy treat/meal.  You will brighten their day, and they will probably tell you an interesting story or two.

Older people are a wealth of knowledge, and you may want to ask them if you can take notes on what they are telling you.  My history teacher in high school gave us an assignment to interview a grandparent, and that was the most interesting assignment that year by far!  I learned so much about my grandmother.

If your relative lives far away, you can call them on the phone.  You will still cheer them up by giving them your time!

8.  Take a nap. 

Sometimes we think that stopping our work to stare at a screen is restful, but as we saw above, screens make us anxious, and it’s challenging to rest when we are anxious.  If you want to rest from your work, taking a nap or reading a book can be a better way to rest.

9.  Go to bed early. 

Staring at a screen at bedtime could prevent your falling asleep for a while.  The blue light sends a signal to your brain that it’s day time, and your brain wakes up instead of winding down to sleep.  Instead, put your screen away and do something relaxing before bed.

Go here to learn the benefits of an early bed time.

How about you?  What pleasant alternatives have you found to screen time?

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